Moving Voracek Around the Lineup Nothing to Be Le-Cavalier About

Moving Voracek Around the Lineup Nothing to Be Le-Cavalier About

When you think of things that worked for the Flyers on the ice last season, pairing Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek together on the top line should be right at the top of the list. Voracek helped jump start Giroux’s campaign when the captain got off to a slow start, while G helped his right wing realize renewed potential as a scorer.

They seemed like such a logical fit together, it was difficult to understand why head coach Peter Laviolette didn’t try it sooner – or from day one for that matter.

Whatever the reason for the delay, at least now we know that it works. Giroux posted three goals and seven assists through the first 16 games of 2013. Voracek had three scores and eight helpers over the same span. Once the two of them joined forces however, Giroux picked up the pace with 10 and 28 over the final 32 games, while Voracek erupted for 19 and 16.

And that was with a revolving door on the left side. Imagine the numbers they could rack up over a full season, especially were Scott Hartnell able to locate his stroke again, or if somebody else could fill the void.

Keep on imagining, because you might not see it all that much. When the Flyers signed Vinny Lecavalier last week, it was widely assumed he was brought here to replace Danny Briere as the second-line center. It turns out the team might be interested in having him play right wing though, specifically on Giroux’s line. Lecavalier discussed the possibility in a conference call with reporters over the weekend.

Lecavalier said he would be “very comfortable” on right wing and admitted he was asked about that by Laviolette in their meeting. The Flyers need scoring on the right side and once again have a log jam of centers.

Lecavalier said he would love to play right wing on Claude Giroux’s line. That’s a problem because Jakub Voracek on the right side was an outstanding fit for the Flyers last season, when he scored 22 goals and was second to Giroux (48 points) in total points with 46.

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“If you watch me in a game, if I have a choice of going on the left side with the puck or right side, I choose, 99 percent of time, going on the right side,” said Lecavalier, who is a left-handed shot.

“It’s not something I really worry about, especially after being told you might play with Claude Giroux. I’m open to that and would be excited for that.

“I would be very comfortable [there]. That is something they asked me at the meeting if I could play wing and I said, certainly. I’m a lot more comfortable on the right wing than on the off-wing.”

This is exactly the type of situation that some feared when Lecavalier was signed, only we thought Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier were the ones at risk of being pushed down the lineup and/or having their positions changed. Instead it seems Voracek could be forced to slide over to the left, or change lines altogether.

Granted coaches switch up their lines from time to time, and there’s a chance at some point over an 82-game season Giroux and Voracek may have been splitsville as part of some type of shakeup. Why are the Flyers already considering messing with that chemistry now though, in July?

Maybe all of this is much ado about nothing. Maybe Voracek could excel just as easily on Giroux’s left. Maybe it’s the Flyers’ brain trust doing their due diligence and figuring out what Lecavalier is comfortable with before signing him. Regardless, it’s a curious development as we ponder where Lecavalier fits with the Orange & Black.

Matt Rhule's first Baylor hires include 4 Temple assistants

Matt Rhule's first Baylor hires include 4 Temple assistants

WACO, Texas -- New Baylor coach Matt Rhule has made some immediate Texas connections by hiring the president of the state's high school coaches who is a former Bears receiver.

Rhule announced his first five hires with the Bears on Friday, three days after being named Baylor's coach. They include four members from his staff at Temple and David Wetzel, the head coach and athletic director the past 13 seasons at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio.

Sean Padden will serve as Baylor's director of football operations, similar to his role at Temple the past four years.

Rhule didn't immediately announce the titles and job duties for Wetzel, Francis Brown, Mike Siravo and Evan Cooper. There was also no indication of when the rest of his staff would be completed.

Brown and Siravo were defensive assistants at Temple, and Cooper was director of player personnel for the Owls.

Wetzel, who has coached in the state high school ranks for 25 years, was serving as president of the Texas High School Football Coaches Association. He lettered at Baylor in 1990 and 1991 while playing for Grant Teaff, and also earned a master's degree from the school in 1994. Before Reagan, he was head coach at schools in Killeen and Austin.

Wetzel told the Waco Tribune-Herald that he expects to play a major role in recruiting, but didn't know yet if he'd be coaching offense or defense.

"Given the opportunity, it's really a unique deal," Wetzel told the newspaper. "I feel like it's God's timing for me to be in the right place at the right time."

When Rhule was introduced Wednesday in Waco, he said he had already received about 480 text messages, many from coaches. He also didn't rule out the possibility of some of the current Baylor assistants staying, but said he hadn't had a chance to meet with them. Those assistants were retained from former coach Art Briles' staff with Jim Grobe as acting head coach this season.

NoteBaylor announced Friday that Jalen Pitre, a defensive back from Stafford, Texas, signed a financial aid agreement that will allow him to enroll for the spring 2017 semester after graduating from high school early. Before Rhule was hired, Pitre was the only player verbally committed for Baylor's recruiting class in February. He had 83 tackles, six interceptions and four forced fumbles as a senior.

Dorial Green-Beckham didn't support any charity with his cleats last Sunday.

In reality, he was funding the NFL.

The Eagles' receiver was fined $6,076 by the NFL for wearing Yeezy cleats (Kanye West's shoes), which had no affiliation to a charitable organization or cause, CSNPhilly.com has confirmed. Players around the NFL last weekend wore decorative spikes supporting a charity or cause they felt passionately about as part of the league's My Cleats, My Cause promotion. Green-Beckham was fined because his cleats were unapproved by the league; earlier this season Houston receiver DeAndre Hopkins was fined for wearing Yeezy cleats.